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Fresh Pomegranate Relish

5 from 1 vote

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This tangy, vibrant sauce with fresh pomegranate seeds is so delicious served with meat, poultry, salad or soft tangy cheeses like goat or brie.

Image showing a bowl with pomegranate relish, a wooden spoon and parsley sprigs.

I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite little sauces: Fresh pomegranate relish.

It’s the perfect thing to make in the cooler fall and early winter months when ruby-red pomegranates are in season — the jewel-like colors of the sauce look so festive on a holiday table.

This sauce is sort of like a fresh fruit salsa. A good dollop of pomegranate relish not only adds zip the Thanksgiving turkey, it’s a pretty garnish for hearty soups like Coconut Sweet Potato Soup.

Try this crunchy and intriguingly sweet-tart sauce instead of cranberry relish, or just add it to the table with all the usual fixing to mix things up!

Fresh Pomegranate Relish on a serving spoon set on a gray surface.

The relish is also fantastic on a cheese plate with soft cheeses like goat or brie. I spoon it over my Ricotta Flatbread to make an easy, beautiful holiday appetizer.

Once pomegranates come into season in late fall, I like to use the juicy sparkling seeds as much as possible.

Sometimes I use the juice to make a sorbet, and add the fresh seeds to festive fall drinks like Hard Cider Ginger Spritz.

You just need a few ingredients to make this recipe, including pomegranate molasses, which might be an ingredient you will want to get to know better.

Image showing a bowl of pomegranate relish, shallots and parsley sprigs.

What’s pomegranate molasses?

Pomegranate molasses, or pomegranate syrup, is a Mediterranean-Middle Eastern condiment made with pomegranate juice that’s been boiled until it’s reduced to a thick, concentrated syrup.

It tastes intriguing fruity, with a surprising balance of sweet and sour.

Pomegranate molasses adds a wonderful unique sweet-and-sour tang to marinades, sauces and salads. You can even drizzle it over yogurt or cheese.

Where to buy pomegranate molasses

You can find pomegranate molasses in the international section of many grocery stores. One of my favorite brands is made in small batches without added sugar.

If you want to make this relish and don’t have pomegranate molasses, not to worry. Use honey instead, with an additional splash of fresh lemon juice.

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Fresh Pomegranate Relish

Fresh Pomegranate Relish

Karen Tedesco
Try this fresh tart-sweet pomegranate relish instead of the usual cranberry — it’s so good with meat, poultry, salads and as a topping for soft cheese like goat or brie. 
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Sauces
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Makes 1 cup

  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) finely chopped shallot
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pomegranate molasses or honey
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup (165 g) fresh pomegranate seeds, from about 1 small/medium pomegranate
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest, optional

Instructions 

  • Mix the shallot, salt and lemon juice in a small bowl and let it marinate for about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the pomegranate molasses and oil, then add the pomegranate seeds, parsley and orange zest.

Karen’s Notes and Tips

  • Keep the relish in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ounce | Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
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Hey, I’m Karen

Creator of Familystyle Food

I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.

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9 Comments

  1. What a lovely recipe and picture! Pomegranates are so ephemeral–including them in dishes is always such a delight. I have two in my fruit bowl. Thank you for posting this recipe. Your blog is stunning.

  2. I saw this recipe pop up on my Blog Her sidebar and came right over! I love pomegranate salsa and made one with persimmons last year that went well with pork chops. I love this one too and will be no doubt be trying it since I have three pomegranates sitting on my counter. Hope you’re doing well, Karen!

  3. this looks great, i think i might going to serve it with turducken!!

  4. Runaway Spoon – off you go! Enjoy the leftovers.

    Hi Smalltown Mom! You could try mixing some pure pomegranate juice and a bit of honey (1 tablespoon each). The molasses is very sticky and a bit sour, so you might adjust with some lemon juice to taste…let me know how you like it.

  5. What a great recipe! I just bought some already cleaned pomegrante arils to use in my cranberry sauce, and now I know what to do with the leftovers!